Folding bookcase.



PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903 110. 722,760. D SCARBOROUGH.

FOLDING BOOKOASE.

APPLIOLTION FILED D30. 6, 1902. II .1.- 4

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D. SCARBOROUGH. FOLDING BOOKGASE. APPLICATION FILED D110. 5, 1962.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

DANIEL SCARBOROUGH, OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

' FOLDINGB OO'KC'A'SEV SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,760, dated March 17, 1903.

Application filed December 5, 1902. Serial No. 134.010- (No model.) I

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL SCARBOROUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Me ridian, in the county of Lauderdale, State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Bookcases, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to folding bookcases, and particularly to a structure wherein the sections are adapted to fold upon each other, and thus thoroughly protect the parts for transportation.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved construction of parts wherein the shelves may be pivoted at their rear to fold against the back and the sides of the case folded upon the shelves, so that when the two sections of the back are folded upon each otherall of the parts of the case are completely inclosed and protected against injury.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for adjustably securing the shelves at difierent distances apart and for holding the end sections of the case against movement relative to the shelves.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the case open for use; Fig. 2, a similar detail view of the case folded for transportation; Fig. 3, a detail perspective of one end of one of the shelves; Fig. 4:, a similar view of one of the securing and pivoting bolts shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a detail elevation of the latch extending across the joint between the back sections of the case; Fig. 6, a detail perspective of the hinge for these back sections and the central partition when opened; Fig. 7, a similar view of one end of a shelf having the securing means thereon for holding the end sections against movement; Fig. 8, a detail perspective of the hinge between the back sections and partition, showing its position when folded as in Fig. 2, the sections being indicated by dotted lines; Fig. 9, a similar view of the pintle and its socket at the rear of the shelf shown in Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 a similar view of the locking-lug at the front of the shelf shown in Fig. 7 with its receiving-socket. I

Likeletters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The letter A designates the back sections of a bookcase, two or more of which may be used, as found most desirable, and they may be of any desired size or configuration. These sections are provided at each end with a fixed end strip A, extending at right angles thereto, and attheir meeting edges with corresponding strips A the latter of which are pivoted together by means of a main straphinge and the double butt-hinge B, (shown by detail in Figs. 6 and 8,) said double hinge being provided with leaves B. to be secured to the free end of each of the strips A and at the edge of one of the leaves an enlarged leaf B is pivoted and adapted to be secured to the central partition-board C. At the opposite end strips A end boards 0 are pivotally secured by any desired form of hinge, as shown at 0 while each thereof is provided with apertures C? in alinement with similar apertures C in the partition 0 to receive the holding means for the shelves Dand permit the adjustment of these shelves at relative distances apart. For the purpose of preventing any movementof the end boards 0 relative to the ends of the shelves a socket 0 as shown in Fig. 10, is secured thereto opposite the end of one or more of the shelves, and the shelf in alinement with said socket is provided with a lug 0 carried by a plate Oflseciured upon the end of the shelf, adapted to engage the socket. The lug may be of any desired construction, but is preferably of the T- head shown, adapted to engage behind thefianges C of the socket. When this securing-lug is used at the forward end of the shelf, a sliding bolt E is located at the rear end thereof. This bolt engages one of the sockets A in the end strips A or one of the recesses A in the strips A as shown in Fig. 9, The opposite end of the shelf is provided with a similar lug O at its forward edge and a similar bolt E at its rear, adapted to engage one of the series of apertures A provided in the strips A or a similar aperture A provided in the strips A. These lugs and sockets are preferably used at the forward ends of the top and bottom shelves, the remaining shelves being provided at both ends with bolts E to enter apertures A and A in the strips and.

apertures C and C in the ends and partition, respectively.

l have illustrated in Fig. 4 a preferred form.

. provided at its free end with a slot F adapted to pass over a staple F carried by the opposite strap F said hasp being provided with a pivoted finger F adapted to extend through the staple and secure the parts in alinement with each other, as shown in Fig. 5. The main hinge F securely holds the sections of the case and braces the strips A For the purpose of securing the free ends of the case together when folded a hook G of any desired form may be pivoted to one sect-ion of the back, as shown at G, and adapted to engage an eye G secured to the opposite section, as shown in Fig. 2.

It may be stated that the fastening-lugs for the end sections need only be applied to one or two of the shelves, and the remaining shelves may be provided with the sliding bolts E at both the front and rear of each end, so that they are readily detachable for adjustment when desired.

When the case is open, as shown in Fig. 1, it provides a maximum capacity for books and is of a light and rigid construction. When it is desired to fold the case, the shelves 'D are folded against the back by lifting the forward end of the shelf, as shown at the right of Fig. 1, which releases the end board, and when all of the shelves have been folded against the back the end and partition boards are folded inward upon the shelves. The latch or hasp between the sections of the back will be disconnected and these sections folded upon each other, as shown in Fig, 2, when they may be secured together by the hook G, thus storing the parts of the shelves within a very small space, permitting the same to be readily transported, yet retaining them in their proper relative position for use as soon as the case is opened. It will thus be seen that the invention presents a very convenient bookcase, which may be crated within itself for transportation and is particularly adapted for the needs of professional men, such as ministers, who are frequently obliged to change their place of residence and need at all times a convenient case for receiving reference and other books comprising their library. It will be observed that the construction of the connection between the shelves and end boards holds the latter against movement relative to the shelves,

while the double hinge used in the center of the case permits the folding of the partition 0 and effectually conceals the parts of the hinge when the case is in use.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details of construction and configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding bookcase, independent back sections provided with lateral strips at their meeting edges pivoted to fold toward each other, end boards pivoted to said sections, and shelves pivoted at their inner edges to each of said sections to fold against said back sections; substantially as specified.

2. In a folding bookcase, independent back sections pivoted to fold toward each other, end boards pivoted to said sections, shelves pivoted at their inner edges to fold against said back sections, and a central partition pivoted to the back sections to fold thereon and provided with means for supporting one end of said shelves; substantially as specified.

In a folding bookcase, independent back sections pivoted to fold toward each other, end boards pivoted to said sections, shelves pivoted at their inner edges to fold against said back sections, a central partition pivoted to the hack sections to fold thereon and provided with means for supporting one end of said shelves, and a hasp or latch extending from one ofthe back sections to the other; substantially as specified.

4;. In a folding bookcase, independent back sections pivoted to fold toward each other, end boards pivoted to said sections, shelves pivoted at their inner edges to fold against said back sections, a central partition pivoted to the back sections to fold thereon and provided with means for supporting one end of said shelves, a hasp or latch extending from one of the back sections to the other, and a securingfastening extending between the free ends of said back sections; substantially as specified.

5. In a folding bookcase,aback section provided with end strips at right angles thereto, end boards pivoted to said strips,shelves having pivots to enter said end strips at their inner edges, socket carried by the end boards, and a log at the outer end of the shelves to engage said socket; substantially as specified.

6. In a folding bookcase, independent back sections provided with lateral stripe at their meeting edges pivoted to fold toward each other and having therein shelf-pivoting recesses, end boards pivoted to said strips and provided with shelf-supporting recesses there in, shelvesadapted to extend between said end boards, sliding bolts at the opposite ends of the shelves next the back sections to enter said pivoting-recesses,and sliding bolts at the opposite ends of the outer edge of said shelves to-enter the supporting-recesses in the end boards; substantially as specified.

7. In a folding bookcase, independent back sections each having end and meeting strips at its opposite ends, a main pivoting-hinge secured upon the adjacent edges of the meeting strips and provided with straps at each side to brace the meeting strips,a central parstrips at the outer ends of the back sections,

shelves disposed between said partition and boards, means for pivoting the inner end of said shelves, and means for supporting the outer edge thereof adapted to engage the par- };iitiion and end boards; substantially as speci- 9. In a folding bookcase, independent back sections each having end strips at its opposite ends, a pivoting-hinge secured upon the adjacent edges of the meeting strips and provided with a supplemental leaf at one side thereof, a central partition secured to said supplemental leaf, end boards secured to the strips at the outer ends of the back sections, shelves disposed between said partition and boards, means for pivoting the inner end of said shelves, means for supporting the outer edge thereof adapted to engage the partition and end boards, a holding-lug upon the end of a shelf next the end board, and a socket carried by said board to receive said lug; substantially as specified.

10. In a folding bookcase, independentback sections each having end strips at its opposite ends, a pivoting-hinge secured upon the adjacent edges of the meeting strips and provided with a supplemental leaf at one side thereof, a central partition secured to said supplemental leaf, end boards secured to the strips at the outer ends of the back sections, shelves disposed between said partition and boards, means for pivoting the inner end of said shelves, means for supporting the outer edge thereof adapted to engage the partition and end boards, a holding-lug upon the end of a shelf next one end board, a socket carried by said board to receive said lug, and a hasp pivoted upon one section and adapted to cross the joint between the sections to engage a fastening upon the other section; substantially as specified.

11. In afoldin g bookcase, independent back sections each having end strips at its opposite ends, a pivoting-hinge secured upon the adjacent edges of the meeting strips and provided with a supplemental leaf at one side thereof, a central partition secured to said supplemental leaf, end boards secured to the strips at the outer ends of the back sections,

shelves disposed between said partition and boards, means for pivoting the inner end of said shelves, means for supporting the outer edge thereof adapted to engage the partition and end boards, a holding-lug upon the end of a shelf next one end board, a socket carried by said board to receive said lug, a hasp pivoted upon one section and adapted to cross the joint between the sections to engage a fastening upon the other'section, and a se curing-hook extending from the free end of one section to an eye upon the other section; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W. W. SIMMONS, S12, J. R. BRADFORD. 

